Refrigerant expansion device



Dec, 19, 1950 G. METTLER REFRIGERANT EXPANSION DEVICE Filed Jan. 26, 1948 ...Illllllililfllill..lf.

INVENTOR. GEORGE METTLER ATTURNEY Patented Dec. 19, 1,950

Unirse sTAres sereni" OFFICE REFRIGERANT EXPANSION DEVICE George Mettler, North Bergen, N. l.

' Application `lanuarv 26, 1948, Serial No. 4,365

(ci. (i2- 127) l 2 Claims.

This linvention relates to refrigerant expansion device and; particularly it refers to an improved Valve which will prevent freeze-up due to mois ture in the refrigerant.

In present day refrigeration the most frequently appearing difficulty is the freezing up of the expansion valve due to a small amount of moisture which collects in the refrigerant. On the high pressure side of the valve this moisture cannot freeze because of the high pressure but on the low pressure side, the moisture freezes easily and clogs up the valve, thus stopping the refrigeration system from functioning.

In my present invention I have eliminated this difficulty by the use of a new and novel valve mechanism as hereinafter described.

The object of my invention is to provide an expansion valve which will not freeze-up due to moisture in the refrigerant.

Another object of my invention is to provide an expansion valve of Simple construction which will continue to :function even though a certain amount of moisture freezes up in same.

A further object of my invention is to provide an expansion valve of simple and low cost construction which will eliminate service diculties and provide troublefree operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the course of the following description:

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. l is a view showing an expansion valve partly in section, embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a section taken along line 2--2 in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a section taken along line 3 3 in Fig. l., and

Fig. e is a side elevation of the new valve element which embodies my invention.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of.

illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates the body portion of an ordinary expansion valve such as used in refrigeration. This valve 5 has an intake connection and an outlet connection l. The regular expansion valve also has a smaller connection S where the external equalizer tube S is connected, which again is connected to the outlet lil at the point I l. The outlet tube i E has a flare on the one end by means of which it is connected to the outlet connection l through nut I2.

The new and novel importance of this invention is particularly embodied in the element I3 which aL i consists of a metal core' with a central hole IA at one end. The hole Ifiextends onlly approximatelyy one-third into the metal` core lf3'. At the bottomof the hole lil there is a transverse hole I5 connecting the hole I@ to the outside of the core i 3. At the end which has the hole Ill, the metal core p i3 has a metal tube I5 fastened, the end of which is dared with an oversized flare I to so as to fit between the flare of the tube I@ and the slanting shoulder of the outlet connection l, thereby leaving a small space between therouter diameter of said metal tube i6, and the inner diameter of the outlet tube ifi. The core I3 is covered by a flexible tube il which is fastened with wires I8 at one end and extends to the end of core I3 as shown in Figures l., 2 and 4. This flexible tube may be made from neoprene or any other suitable flexible tubing which is not chemically affected by the refrigerant.

The new valve element may be removed for cleaning or service merely by loosening nut I2 and removing the outlet tube Ill. After cleaning the valve element may be inserted again in similar fashion with its flange I 6.a being squeezed between the ilare of tube lil and the shoulder of connection i.

The operation of my invention is as follows:

The refrigerant enters the tube I6 and hole I4 in the metal core I3 and escapes through the transverse hole l5 in the metal core I3. In so doing, it has to squeeze out through the opening formed between the flexible tubing I'I and the metal core I3 and thus overcomes the flexible pressure exerted by said tubing il. By traveling between the core I3 and the flexible tubing Il the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant is gradually reduced until it escapes into the evaporator or whatever other device may be connected. if moisture should appear in the refrigerant, the same will freeze and form ice between the flexible tube and the metal core i3. Due to the flexibility of the tube Il, however, nothing will happen inasmuch as the refrigerant will continue to nnd other paths around or above the ice formation and no stoppage of refrigerant flow will occur.

The outlet tube It by limiting thel expansion of the tube il will prevent that an excessive amount of ice will form sufficient to break the rubber tube il. I have found from long experience that this arrangement will give complete troublefree service. In actual operation, the new assembly, as shown in Fig. d. in the drawing, forms the expansion valve while the valve 5 is used only asa metering device for the refrigerant and the actual 3 expansion takes place underneath the flexible tube I1.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred embodiment of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, Without departing from the spirit of my invention, or the scope of the sub-joined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An expansion device for refrigeration of the character described, comprising an expansion valve in combination With a cylindrical element connected to the outlet of said valve, said cylindrical element having an axial, longitudinal hole communicating with said valve outlet and a transverse, radial hole near the bottom of said axial hole; a piece of iexible tubing surrounding said cylindrical element under pressure, and fastening means securing one end of said flexible tubing, said fastening means being located between said outlet connection of said expansion valve and said transverse, radial hole.

2. An expansion device for refrigeration of the character described, comprising an expansion valve in Combination With a tubular, cylindrical element closed at one end, said element having a transverse, radial hole communicating with its tubular cavity; means for connecting the tubular cavity of said cylindrical element to the outlet connection of said valve; a piece of flexible tubing placed over said tubular, cylindrical element under pressure, said tubing covering said transverse, radial hole, and fastening means securing one end of said iiexible tubing to said tubular, cylindrical element.

GEORGE METTLER.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Bourdil June l2, 1888 Number 

